arizona and aymeline

We're back from Australia and straight into the midst of University applications. It is difficult for me to ignore Paris fashion week, but in February I'll be done with applications and able to enjoy images of the collections. I couldn't resist posting these two from Dior though! On the flight from Sydney to Singapore, I watched L'amour Fou - these exquisite dresses remind me of the early part of YSL's career, when he was assistant to Monsieur Dior.

Photos via L'express.fr

on the road

In two weeks we're heading to Australia to explore Sydney and Melbourne, rock climb, and visit family in Adelaide. I haven't been back for a couple of years, and A has never been, so it's the perfect way to close a crazy year. Before leaving, both of us have a small mountain of schoolwork to get through, so I'm signing off here... Have a wonderful holiday/New Year, and I'll see you in 2012!

x 

Photo: Twelve Apostles, Melbourne

purple galaxies

Eugenia skirt - Rag & Bone

Dear Golden

The Milky Way, seen from the Himalayas

that beret

Theadora Van Runkle, the self-taught costume designer who created Faye Dunaway's iconic look in Bonnie and Clyde, has passed away. There are two great obits over at the NYTimes and the Guardian. My favourite part of both is Edith Head's advice to Van Runkle, while she was shopping nervously for fabrics:

"She said, 'What are you doing?' " Ms. Van Runkle recalled.

"I said, 'It's the '30s and they're escaping from a bank robbery.' "

"She said: 'Oh darling, do everything in chiffon. You'll have no problems.' "

(Source)

Much as I adore Ms. Head, I'm glad her advice was not taken.

The originals - Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow

Photos: 1, 2

fairest of them all

Speaking of Charlize, the new Snow White trailer is out, and it looks promising. I preferred the evil Queen to Snow White in the original, and probably will here too, but a Snow White in armour is an idea I can get behind. Also, the braids on both women are stunning. The costume, hair and makeup people must have had a lot of fun with this.

The shapeshifting into crows reminds me of Madonna's video for Frozen, a personal highlight of 1998 for the moodiness, mehndi, and gothic Olivier Theysken's designs...

golden glamour

My heart skipped a few beats when I first watched the new J'adore Dior film. This woman is perfection (the other three aren't bad either)...

Who knew Charlize, Grace, Marlene and Marliyn would go so well with Beth Ditto? Inspired on all fronts.

expectant dressing

Most of my friends are a few years older than I am, a fact I never paid attention to until hitting 24 this spring and noticing that all of a sudden, increasing numbers of my 27-30 year old friends, as well as acquaintances and relatives, are pregnant. And contrary to the stereotype of pregnant women in shapeless comfort clothing, I'm struck by how beautiful many of them look, in large part due to the increased options for elegant maternity clothing out there (and of course, the ability to put it all together into a chic, comfortable look). Joanna posted about new maternity line Hatch today, and I'm reposting here - the idea is that these pieces can be worn before, during and after pregnancy. Aren't they gorgeous?

ink happy

One of my earliest memories, from when I was 3 or 4, is of the Marimekko sheets on my parents' bed. The pattern was made up of small flowers spaced sparingly around a white background- a thick green ink stroke for the stem, and blobs of red, blue or yellow for the bloom (I recently came across a vintage tin with the same pattern on etsy). The mattress was about eye level, and I remember staring at the flowers and wondering if my younger, finger paint obsessed brother had put them there. Later on, I started shopping at Finnish import stores in Northern Ontario, where there is a large Finn community, and you could find all kinds of Marimekko prints and products than weren't readily available in the cities we lived in. Today, our apartment is full of Marimekko, from pillows to tea towels. It's a wonder my boyfriend doesn't go crazy from all the colour.

Clearly, however, I'm not alone. This year is Marimekko's 60th anniversary. A beautiful new flagship store just opened in NYC, along with several other stores worldwide. The big, bright retro prints are still my favourite, but the more recent clean and minimal designs are also addictive. Lumimarja is my print of 2011.

The signature printed shift dresses aren't really my style, but this new knitwear line is fantastic...

I badly want to go snowshoeing in the Tasapaino trousers:

More at the Guardian and Marimekko blog.
Photos: 1, 2, 3.